Organizational Media Futures is a blog on the evolving nature of media technologies and organizational change. Students and faculty contribute to this blog as members of the Cal State East Bay Media Futures Group, a nonprofit think tank emphasizing foresight as a critical tool for creating sustainable initiatives local and global.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Lara Hodgson- "Office Space"

“Office Space” Film Analysis Peter Gibbons, (Ron Livingston), was just put under hypnosis by his career therapist and didn’t come to work for the weekend. When he does show up for work he has to get re-interviewed for his position within his company. The Bob’s, (John McGinley and Paul Wilson) are intrigued with Peter’s response and honesty to the questions they ask. Peter goes into hour-by-hour detail on what he does at work to avoid working. Afterwards the bob’s ask him why he doesn’t have the motivation to work. Peter responds with the fact he has eight bosses and he gets told eight time when he makes a mistake but when he does something right he isn’t rewarded. Why do the Bob’s decide to promote Peter based on his response to the lack of work he does? Based on chapters 2 and 3, Peter’s work is currently under classical management, the management is defined in a position in which the employees cannot approach their managers about anything that is undesirable about their workplace. It is also somewhat as scientific management because there is a hierarchy of the divisions of labor in which they have to abide to a certain set of rules. I think that the Bob’s were intrigued and wanted to promote Peter to a higher position because he brought to their attention a problem with the management and a solution. Peter did not necessarily speak of his proficiency through his work but spoke more just about the atmosphere and work environment. He stated that if he were to get rewarded for his accomplishments he would feel more motivated to work, the Bob’s brought up ways of rewards such as stock options and full health benefits. This pushes to a human resource approach to keep current employees happy and more proficient within the company.

Peter Gibbons: The thing is, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. Bob Porter: Don't... don't care? Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime; so where's the motivation? And here's something else, Bob: I have eight different bosses right now. Bob Slydell: Eight? Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means that when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled... that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.

In the quote of a conversation from the film, underlines the main points in classical and scientific management. Peter’s eight bosses all come down on him about a minute error he made. Under this management style, as Peter says, only motivates him to do enough work to get by. With this information the Bob’s decide to promote him in hopes of changing the work environment to an organized climate and encourage employees to succeed, giving them individual self worth and importance within the company, as in the human resource approach.